HUGE BLOCKBUSTER KATO N SCALE ANNOUNCEMENT Kato N 4-8-4 FEF-3 Union Pacific #838 - FREIGHT VERSION Freight Version: All-black Drivers, Graphite Smokebox, Matte Paint Kato #126-0402 N 4-8-4 FEF-3 Union Pacific #838 - Freight version DCC Ready Kato #126-0402-1 N 4-8-4 FEF-3 Union Pacific #838 - Freight version With Pre-installed TCS DCC Kato #126-0402-LS N 4-8-4 FEF-3 Union Pacific #838 - Freight version With Pre-installed ESU Loksound Sound DCC DUE OUT SEPTEMBER 2016 ADD TO CART TO SEE OUR SALE PRE ORDER PRICE PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. OFFER GOOD FOR MAIL ORDER AND IN STORE PURCHASES NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - SHIPPING AND TAXES NOT INCLUDED LIMITED QUANTITIES ON CERTAIN ITEMS, CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFERS © Copyright 2016 TrainWorld LLC ® / TrainLand Inc.® All Rights Reserved Published By TrainWorld LLC ® / TrainLand Inc.® All Rights Reserved
I believe it is. Railroad club is looking at a return trip to Cheyenne. Will have to ask about the 838. I'll have to grab a few questions to ask if we do in fact return.
I might do one although I was hoping for one without the "elephant ears". Always knew that was a long shot.
Very much this. Ed Dickens really screwed 844 up. Hoping to him being fired before he gets his untrained, unprofessional hands on 3985 and ruins her too.
Do a quick search on 844's flues/boiler tubes condition. Most of the information is on TrainOrders and RYPN from former steam crew privy to the operations currently going on in Cheyenne. It's pretty sad to see how bad 844 has been treated the past 5 years. UP is known for the longest continuous use of steam on their road, 150 years, but that ended in early 2013. UP is about to see the longest period where it hasn't seen continuously operational steam since when UP was first chartered. That went from the date of charter in 1862 until they started operations for the first time 3 years later in 1865. It's almost to that 3 year record mark.
I did google a few things, and it sounds like UPs steam program is hurting. Regardless of the cause, this is indeed a sad situation. I have only seen the challenger in operation in person. Hopefully they'll return both engines, plus the Big Boy, to operation soon. A lot of us have negative feelings about UP since they absorbed many of our beloved roads, but their dedication to keeping these icons in operation is much appreciated by all.
I suspect it's possible, but it will require filling, sanding, and repainting the attachment points on the smoke box and boiler and I would guess that many of the details behind the "ears" weren't modeled. ( I.E. the edge detail on the running boards, etc) I'm sure it is all doable for someone who is dedicated to UP steam, I'm just not that into the FEF.
I've got a Kato FEF-3 on my workbench, which I am superdetailing, and the "ears" (smoke deflectors) ARE quite easily removable. In fact, the whole boiler and tender come off and apart very easily and all parts precisely press-fit and interlock with no glue. I am quite impressed with the engineering and thoughtfulness with which this model has been designed. Mark almost got it correct, as the edge details on the running boards...actually more than just the details...but the running board itself that would be under the smoke deflectors...is missing on the model so the overly-thick model deflectors can appear to sit nearly flush with the outside edge of the running boards. The smokebox detailing is complete behind the deflectors, so if you're happy with the rest of the piping on the smokebox, what you can't see very well behind the ears when they're ON the model, will be okay for you when they're OFF. Up top, on the smokebox, are two rectangular holes that will have to be filled on each side of the smokebox, and an identical hole on each side of the boiler too. However, the question arises "Why do you want to remove the smoke deflectors?" What are you trying to achieve by removing them? From a prototype standpoint, the smoke deflectors were eventually installed on ALL FEF-3's (FEF-2's and FEF-1's too). By the early 1950's every one had received "ears" because they had a smoke liftng problem. The Worthington SA feedwater heater modifications (which the Kato model has) was applied in the early to late 1950's, which was after the smoke deflector modification was applied. Since the Kato FEF-3 definitely HAS the Worthington SA feedwater heater, for an FEF-3 to be correctly modeled without "ears", it shouldn't have the Worthington SA feedwater heater equipment either. To take the Worthington SA feedwater heater equipment off of the Kato model would take a lot of effort, including scraping off piping from the fireman's side of the boiler, removing the "box" in front of the double stack up on top of the firebox, shortening the firebox by a scale 18", removing the SA feedwater heater pump from under the running boards on the fireman's side, and removing the turbine from under the cab on the fireman's side...including any associated piping. Then, making new piping and junctions from brass rod and adding them appropriately to the left side of the engine. As additional information, back-dating the model by removing the Worthington SA feedwater heater equipment, and either leaving on, or removing the "ears" would make the engine suitable and accurate for UP's two-tone-grey paint scheme from 1946 to the early '50's with either yellow or "white" lettering and stripes. WITH the SA feedwater heater equipment, the model is only accurate for TTG as the 8444 or 844 with yellow lettering and stripes as she was in excursion service in the late '80's. Of course, if you just want to remove the "ears" and don't care about prototypical accuracy...it's still not going to be an easy job, with the hole-filling and adding running board pieces and parts you'll have to do to make it look good. Cheerio! Bob Gilmore
